I’m probably one of few filled
with envy after looking at this online gallery of photos from some of the Middle East’s most dangerous corridors taken
over a period of several years by Luke Powell in areas like
Afghanistan. (Gasp!) All the places you’re not supposed or the reserved traveler would take fancy in never going
near like Iran and Afghanistan have become an object of my affection over these last few years. Though my own travels
to Iran have been set back quite a few times I spend the days refreshing my brain with a word or two from the region or
clicking through photos like Powell’s.
Today’s word
is a Farsi (Persian) word used in Afghanistan:
akkasi –
photographer
If you have a moment to peek around his site I suggest you do. The way he
captures architecture, street vendors in Faryab and spectators at local quail fights in Pul-i-Kumri is absolutely
phenomenal. You won’t be disappointed.
Farsi is only one of the langs spoken in Afghanistan and usually
around areas bordering Iran and varies slightly. The CIA Worldfact book lists (Afghan Persian) Dari and
Pashtu as official languages. Excellent sites for learning Persian online include a personal favorite called Easy Persian and Farhangsara. Both sites have an excellent beginner’s guide into the
language and use images, sound and music to assist you in the process. Check out Lonely Planet’s Farsi
(Persian) Phrasebook for a shorthand guide at the ancient lingo.
Past Farsi words: be salamati, toot farangee